Another Fun Abstract Tutorial

As I was just looking back over some of my posts and especially at previous tutorials, I thought it would be fun to do another one.  So, here goes.  And as usual, I'm using a really bad photo to start with.  But to its credit, the photo has some really good colors and lines and textures to work with.  This photo here is one of the absolute worst I have ever taken.  Why it turned out so bad is a whole other post.  It's just bad and it isn't the only one I took that day that turned out bad.

Remember, to get the full effect of this tutorial, double click on the photo to get full screen.

So, just to take some time out to experiment with some software settings I had not used before, I decided to see what might happen if I tried a few.  This was using curves intense.  This was the only one I liked.  And really, it's BAD.  There's nothing redeemable about it.  Or is there?

Well, there is color.  There are lines, angles, textures.  Hmmm...

        I decided to try out my favorite kaleidoscope filter from the Mehdi group.  This setting was 2 petals, 0 offset, 0 rotate, and 1 zoom out.  Well, now that's interesting.  The more I look at it, the more I like it.  Yet, I'd like a little less white.

 This time I wanted to see what would happen if I worked on the colors only.  So I tried Luminares Color Glow.  Wow, I love this shade of blue, but this is a little overboard.  But I'm not giving up.  I'm seeing more and more potential here.  So I keep going.

 Back to the ole favorite kaleidoscope.  This time it was 2 petals, 46 offset, 0 rotate, and 1 zoom out.  That's much better.  But I'm not finished yet.

 Okay I don't really like all that blue even though it is interesting.  So I back up a couple steps back to the kaleidoscope directly above the first blue picture.  Yep, that's the one, with the all white pickets going across the middle and the colors top and bottom.  This time instead of more kaleidoscopes, I chose to use Toadies filter group and the filter called Picasso's Other World. You can certainly see the cubism there.   I am really liking this one.  But let's see what else can be done.

At this point, still avoiding more kaleidoscopes because there are just times when I can almost feel that I need something totally different, I have chosen the same filter group that has the kaleidoscope filter.  But this time I have chosen a filter called Melt within the Mehdi filter group.

   

 

Wanting to give it something...not quite sure what yet...but I am trying the filter group called Simple and the effect called Blintz.  

 Well that has possibilities, but I've still not gotten what I am looking for, and that is something that just pops out at me and says, "YES! This is it!"

So now I am going to try one more very easy filter that comes with the Paint Shop program and that is found under the title of Distortion Effects.  The effect is called Displacement Map.

And that's my YES! 

I could keep going, but I am going to stop there.  I am happily satisfied with this result and feel that I have gotten not one but two pretty awesome pieces of art out of this.  The first one is the one where I used the Picasso's Other World and got such an interesting cubism piece.  And then this last one above here.  

So did you follow along and do some experimenting of your own?  I hope so.  That's what makes this fun.

Back on Facebook

It looks like it is working this time.  If you have been following this blog you know that I tried this before, setting up a Facebook page for Capirani Photography, but it failed to go public.  This time, I think it is working.  But the only way to be sure is to leave it up awhile and see what happens.  So, here is the link to click on to get to the Facebook page.  Please, if you visit there, make sure to click the LIKE button.  Leave me a note too, if you feel so inclined.  I'd love to hear from you.

In other news, I've taken a week off this past week, so there hasn't been much new going on at any of my online locations.  I'm seriously considering attempting YouTube tutorials in the near future.  I'm just not sure how that will work unless I just do screen shots somehow.  Obviously I don't want it to turn out boring.

Remember, you can follow me now at Facebook here.  You can also find my work at Fine Art America, and at Flickr, and at the online gallery of Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ.  Of course I am also on Twitter where you can easily type in @capirani to follow me there.

I appreciate all your time and energy.

A Granddaughter's Art and More

The other night I decided it was time to try out some new filters to see what I might be able to do with them.  After getting several installed, my granddaughter and I started playing around with some of her photos to see what effects we came up with.  She's 12 years old and has been greatly interested in learning photography and how to use editing programs to make her own photographic artwork.  The following photo is what she came up with on her own using one of her own photographs.  It's so good I just had to share it with you.  The original photo is of a sherbet glass and a small flower vase containing multicolored glass marbles.  She would love to hear your comments about her photo.

Since that night, I have started working on my own photos to see what I might come up with using these new filters.  Yes, I tried to use her special effects on my photos but so far they just do not look this good.  So I used my own choices with my photographs.  Here are the newest results.  You can also see them and other photographs on my new website. You can also see my work at Xanadu Gallery.

As much as I love making the kaleidoscopes, I might just end up not making many more.  Then again, who knows?

Blog Posts, Portfolios, Brochures, Business Cards, and More?

Here it is early morning, September 1st, Labor Day.  Very early morning.  A little mood music on the side.  The Monkees.  Who remembers them?  Growing up they were my favorites of many musical groups of the day.  Growing up.  Now there is something to think about, but I'll leave that to your imagination because right now I want to talk about the e-course I've been taking that is given by Jason Horejs, owner of Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ.  When I signed up for this free course ( click here  for more information on this free e-course) I didn't realize how much information I would get.  The course is so easy to take.  You get one email a day with information and an assignment.  The assignments are fairly simple to understand and complete.  In most cases I finish with each email and basic part of the assignment in a few minutes time.  However, right now I have reached the place where I have to be creative in regards to promoting myself.  UGH!!!  Does anyone really enjoy this part?  But I have to say that since I started this course, I have progressed much further than I would have at this time without having taken the course.  Of course the most amazing part is having my art accepted into Xanadu Gallery's website gallery.  It took me hours to try to decide which of my photographs to submit.  Since then I have been busy making more art to hopefully submit soon.  Oh, and also working on my first brochure.  For this assignment I have decided to pretend to have a specific show date that I am preparing for and I gave myself a deadline to get it completed, which is September 15, 2014.  Since I am still working on ideas for a realistic concept for my business cards, I haven't made those yet.  My portfolio right now consists of everything you find here and on my second site which you find in the Page Two tab above, as well as on my Flickr photostream.  Right now, in addition to writing this post, I am tweeting, and reading this article about how to increase the number of followers on Twitter.  By the way, you can find me on Twitter by simply typing in @capirani. But in all honestly, I really hate the promotional portion of this.  I would much rather just be creating art.  But I tell you this much:  I would much rather be doing this than what will come soon and that is the bookkeeping.  Oh I better leave this blog right now before I get a headache... 

Flickr and Jason Horejs

Recently I've been uploading my most recent photos and designs to my Flickr Photostream so now you can see some of my best works there.  Since Flickr does not allow using their site for direct selling of photography or other items, you can still contact me by coming here.

The past couple of weeks I have been taking a free online email workshop given by art gallery owner Jason Horejs who owns Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ.  Jason Horejs is also the author of the book Starving to Successful.  So far the e-course has been very interesting and will hopefully teach me things I need to learn to possibly show my photography (and maybe my paintings) in an actual gallery somewhere.  But even if it doesn't, this course is helping me learn more about myself, and that there are many, many others out there striving to do work that someone will someday buy.  I am expecting to learn more about how to present myself and my work in the best possible light I can.

Okay, just a quick example of some of the photography you can see on my Flicker Photostream.